Circulating fan support



Patented Nov. 15, 1949 omen oIRoUL-A'rING FANI'SUPPURT Martin Marsalis, Fort Worth, Tex. Application september 24, 1945, Serial No. 618,216 6 Claims. (closet-'27s.)

1 This invention relates to'electric air circulating fansand it'hasp'articularreference'to a portable type of fan capable of considerable flexibility in its adaptations for'use, and its principal'obiect resides in the provision of an assembly which is compact and attractive in appearance and is light and portable yet-embodying features which adapt'it to use as ameans' of circulating air'in a room orbuilding, having the pleasing attribute of blending in with normal furnishings, while capable of being readily adjusted to a vertical position "and employed as a ventilator or pedestal fan.

-An'object'of the invention resides in theprovision'of a convenient, all-purpose fan in which are incorporated-certain novel features of-constructi'on which renders the invention substantially'vibrationless and noiseless while producing maximum results in maintaining comfortable air circulation 'in either horizontal or vertical position.

Broadly,the invention contemplates the provision of a fan possessing all of the desirable characteristics of a large commercial type cooling fan yet highly compact, light and inexpensive and economical in operation.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects will'become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the app nded drawings wherein: V

Figure 1 is a plan View of the invention illustrating the novel louver arrangement andshowing-the fan blades in dotted lines.

Figure 2 illustrates the invention in vertical cross-section, showing the association of the fan housing and base member in closed position and illustrating the fan mounting.

Figure 3 is a perspective illustration in which the fan and. its housing is extended to a vertical position and shows the supporting bracket therefor.

Figure 4 fragmentarily illustrates, in perspective, the locking arrangement of the lower end of the fan supporting bracket, and

Figure 5 fragmentarily illustrates, in perspective, the upper end of the supporting bracket connected to the fan housing and shows the adjusting screws.

The invention comprises a base member I which, in its preferred form, is cylindrical and of greater diameter than height for best appearance. A set of casters 2 support the base I for movability and the top of the latter is formed to provide a suitable annular seat 3 upon which the fan housing 4 normally rests when the as- 1'2 sembly is in closed pjositiornyas in 'Fig1 1re2. The base I and housing 4 are preferably formed from sheet metal affording a substantial but light const'ruction.

The housing 4 may be provided with a plurality louvered openings or vents-5 uniformly-arranged in its walls through whichair can be circulated while the fan 6 is in operation. The top ordischarge side of the housing' l "is formed' with: a circular' opening 7' and hasa closure 8 comprising; an arrangement of triangular shaped louvers *9 hingedalong one of their lon'gedges; and capable of independent operation in thev manner illustrated in Figure 3., This type: of closure, shown com- 1ete1yclosed" in Figures 1 and '2, is not only attractive in appearance but affords a means of deflecting the air currents activated by the fan 6' in anyrdesirable 'mannerj whether the. assembly is operating in Figure 2 or that shown; in Figure 3.

The rear or bottomside of the housingd, de-

-pending upon the. position in which the same.- is

op.erate'd,is formed with an inwardlyextending fiange I llwh-ich for theisake of P appearance as well as for durabilityjis upturned-at. a aboutits inner periphery. The fan motor H issu-pported in the housing-4 by aplurality-ofsprings l 2,;-preferably semi-circular in 1 form, arranged radially of the motor I I... their innerends bcingsecuredto the 'motor' while I their outer; ends:v are: attached to the flange l 0- of the housing L as-shown in Figure. 2

Thus, the motor bis-literally cushioned sothat vibrationis minimized regardless: of the position in which the fan motor I, I. is operated.

The f an housingW-ishingedly: connected to; the base I by an arcuate spring-like bracket I3 which has pins [4 in one end by which it is pivotally attached to a substantially U-shaped clevis l5 secured to the flange l0, shown in Figure 2, of the housing 4. A detailed illustration of this arrangement is shown in Figure 5. The opposite end b of the bracket I3 is turned downwardly at right angles and has pins I6 therein which serve to pivot this end of the bracket l3 to another U- shaped clevis l1 secured to a plate H which is, in turn, secured to the inner wall of the base I opposite to the pivot M in the housing 4. The pins I6 extend into a pair of vertical slots l8 in each wing of the clevis [1, shown in detail in Figure 4, which adapts the end b of the bracket I3 to be moved downwardly in the clevis I! behind a rigid keeper pin l9 extending between the wings of the clevis l1 and therefore support the bracket l3 in a substantially upright position, as in Figure 4.

In the manner just described the fan housing 4 can be supported for operation in the vertical position shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the bracket l3, in this position, being illustrated in Figure 5. A pair of adjusting screws threadedly arranged through the bracket l3 provide means for making slight adjustments, if necessary or desirable, to maintain the fan housing 4 in a true vertical position. It is not contemplated that any adjustment in this nature will be required if properly adjusted when assembled but certain wear may require some slight correction. The tensioned bracket l3, as well as the motor supporting members l2, greatly minimizes vibration and sound to a very negligible degree yet without reducing the efiiciency of the fan.

The invention is obviously capable of considerable changes and modifications by persons skilled in the-art without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. 7

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable electric circulating fan, the

combination comprising a cylindrical base member having casters and an annular seat around its upper edge, the said base member adapted to function in a horizontal plane, a fan housing conformably resting upon the said seat in a horizontal position and combined with said base member forming a cylindrical body, a supporting bracket for the said housing adjustably connecting the same to the said base and adapting the same to be extended to an operative vertical position above the said base, and a fan assembly yieldably and operatively supported within the said housing.

2. In a portable electric fan, a cylindrical base member having casters and an annular seat about its upper edge, a louvered fan housing conformably supported on the said seat in horizontal operative position, a supporting bracket hingedly connected to the said fan housing and having a sliding hinged connection with the said base member adapting the said housing to be raised to an extended operative vertical position above said base member, and a fan assembly yieldably supported in said housing.

3. In a portable electric circulating fan, in combination with a cylindrical horizontal base member having casters and an annular seat around its upper edge, a cylindrical fan housing having a hingedly connected supporting bracket having an adjustable hinged connection with the said base, the said housing being adapted to conformably repose upon the said annular seat in one of its operative positions and be supported by the said bracket in an extended vertical operative position above the said base, a fan assembly mounted inthe said housing, and means comprising tensioned brackets yieldably supporting the said fan assembly in said housing.

4. In a portable electric fan having a cylindrical housing, the combination with a cylindrical base member for the said housing having casters thereon and a horizontal annular supporting surface conformable to the said housing, a tensioned supporting bracket hingedly connected at one end to the said housing and having a sliding hinged connection at its opposite end to the said base adapting the said housing to be raised to an extended vertical operative position, a fan assembly mounted in said housing for' both horizontal and vertical operation, and yieldable brackets operatively supporting the said fan assembly in said housing.

5. A portable electric circulating fan, in combination, a cylindrical horizontal base member having casters and an annular seat formed about its upper rim, a cylindrical fan housing adapted to be axially supported on said seat, a supporting bracket adjustably connecting said fan housing with said base and adapting said housing to be operatively extended above said base in transverse axial arrangement therewith, and a fan assembly yieldably mounted in said housing.

6. In a portable electric circulating fan having a cylindrical housing, a cylindrical base member for said housing having casters and an annular seat for said housing conformably supporting the same in axial aligmnent, a collapsible supporting bracket connecting said housing with said base providing means for supporting said housing in operative transverse axial arrangement above.

said base, and a fan assembly mounted in said housing.

MARTDI E. MARSALIS.

REFERENCES, CITED.

The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,088,687 Dodds Mar. 3, 1914 1,972,654 Heath Q. Sept. 4, 1934 2,008,965 Miller July 23, 1935 2,101,808 Braine Aug. 13, 1935 2,123,448 Weber July 12, 1938 

